Search algorithms can be used to retrieve information from data structures or search problem domains. They are classified based on their search mechanism, such as linear searches that check every record sequentially or binary searches that repeatedly target the center of the search space and divide it in half. Binary search algorithms have a maximum complexity of O(log n), meaning the number of operations needed to find the target is a logarithmic function of the search space size. Search algorithms are also used to find solutions to constraint satisfaction problems by assigning values to variables to satisfy equations or optimize functions. Local search methods view the search space as a graph and move between items along heuristic edges.

1. Search Methods
Hup university
27-02-2018
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2. Search Algorithm
• A search algorithm is any algorithm which
solves the search problem, namely, to retrieve
information stored within some data
structure(linked list, array data structure, or
a search tree), or calculated in the search
space of a problem domain.
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3. Search Algorithms Classified
• Search algorithms can be classified based on their
mechanism of searching.
• Linear search algorithms check every record for the one
associated with a target key in a linear fashion.
• Binary, or half interval searches, repeatedly target the
center of the search structure and divide the search space
in half.
• Comparison search algorithms improve on linear searching
by successively eliminating records based on comparisons
of the keys until the target record is found, and can be
applied on data structures with a defined order.
• Digital search algorithms work based on the properties of
digits in data structures that use numerical keys.
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4. Logarithmic Function
• Search functions are evaluated on the basis of
their complexity, or maximum theoretical run
time.
• Binary search functions, have a maximum
complexity of O(log n), or logarithmic time.
• the maximum number of operations needed
to find the search target is a logarithmic
function of the size of the search space.
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5. Heuristics Function
• Algorithms for searching spaces are used in the constraint
satisfaction problem, where the goal is to find a set of value
assignments to certain variables that will satisfy specific
mathematical equations.
• They are also used when the goal is to find a variable
assignment that will maximize or minimize a certain function
of those variables.
• Algorithms for these problems include the basic brute-force
search (uninformed search), and a variety of heuristics that
try to exploit partial knowledge about the structure of this
space, such as linear relaxation, constraint generation,
and constraint propagation.
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6. Local Search Methods
• An important subclass are the local search methods,
that view the elements of the search space as
the vertices of a graph, with edges defined by a set of
heuristics applicable to the case;
• and scan the space by moving from item to item along
the edges,
• for example according to the steepest descent or best-
first criterion, or in a stochastic search. This category
includes a great variety of general meta
heuristic methods(simulated annealing, tabu search, A-
teams, & genetic programming-combine arbitrary
heuristics in specific ways).
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7. Completeness
• This class also includes various tree search algorithms,
that view the elements as vertices of a tree, and
traverse that tree in some special order.
• Examples of the exhaustive methods such as depth-
first search and breadth-first search, as well as various
heuristic-based search tree pruning methods such
as backtracking and branch and bound.
• Unlike general meta heuristics, which at best work only
in a probabilistic sense, many of these tree-search
methods are guaranteed to find the exact or optimal
solution, if given enough time. This is called
completeness.
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8. Game Tree
• Another important sub-class consists of algorithms for exploring
the game tree of multiple-player games, such
as chess or backgammon, whose nodes consist of all possible game
situations that could result from the current situation.
• The goal in these problems is to find the move that provides the
best chance of a win, taking into account all possible moves of the
opponent(s).
• Similar problems occur when humans or machines have to make
successive decisions whose outcomes are not entirely under one's
control, such as in robot guidance or in marketing, financial,
or military strategy planning.
• This kind of problem — combinatorial search — has been
extensively studied in the context of artificial intelligence. Examples
of algorithms for this class are the minimax algorithm, alpha–beta
pruning, Informational search and the A* algorithm.
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9. Combinatorial Search
• is generally used for algorithms that look for a specific
sub-structure of a given discrete structure (graph,
string, or finite group).
• The term combinatorial optimization is typically used
when the goal is to find a sub-structure with a
maximum/ minimum value of some parameter.
• (Since the sub-structure is usually represented in the
computer by a set of integer variables with constraints,
these problems can be viewed as special cases of
constraint satisfaction or discrete optimization; but
they are usually formulated and solved in a more
abstract setting where the internal representation is
not explicitly mentioned.) 9

10. Graph Algorithms
• An important and extensively studied subclass are
the graph algorithms, in particular graph
traversal algorithms, for finding specific sub-structures
in a given graph — subgraphs, paths, circuits.
• Examples include Dijkstra's algorithm, Kruskal's
algorithm, the nearest neighbour algorithm, and Prim's
algorithm.
• Another important subclass of this category are
the string searching algorithms, that search for
patterns within strings. Two famous examples are
the Boyer–Moore and Knuth–Morris–Pratt algorithms,
and several algorithms based on the suffix tree data
structure. 10